TTLA: Women's adaptation to motherhood after childbirth

Author name: Nguyen Thi Chinh

Thesis title:Women's adaptation to motherhood after childbirth

Dissertation field: Psychology

Major: Psychology Code: 62 31 04 01

Name of the postgraduate training unit: University of Social Sciences and Humanities - Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

1. Purpose and research objects of the thesis

- Thesis research purpose: Theoretical research and practical survey on postpartum women's adaptation to the role of motherhood; thereby proposing psychological and social measures to enhance postpartum women's adaptation to the role of motherhood.

- Thesis research object: Research on the expression and level of adaptation to the role of motherhood of postpartum women and some factors affecting that adaptation.

2. Research methods used

The thesis uses a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods including: Document research method, Questionnaire investigation method, In-depth interview method, Case study method, Data processing method using mathematical statistics. The research sample is 312 women after giving birth 0-12 months.

3. Main results and conclusions

3.1. Main results

The data show that the adaptive mean of PNSS ranges from 2.5 to 3.95 with mean = 3.45 (SD = 0.28). The distribution of adaptive mean is a normal distribution, so the thesis divided PNSS into 3 groups at three different levels of adaptation (low, medium, high) to find the differences between these three groups. The results showed that there were no significant differences in socio-demographic characteristics and socio-health characteristics (p>0.05) but there were differences in prenatal preparation, child characteristics and mother's satisfaction with the child, social support and TCSS. The results of the analysis of typical psychological portraits once again confirmed this finding.

The mean scores of the three aspects of adaptation are all at the "quite adaptive" level, in which the order from high to low is: Behavioral response to VTLM > Satisfaction with VTLM > Self-confidence in VTLM. The three aspects of expression are strongly correlated with each other in a positive correlation direction. In which, self-confidence has the strongest influence, behavioral response and satisfaction have equal impacts on the mean score of adaptation to VTLM of PNSS.

Of the 15 socio-demographic variables, only 3 factors: area of ​​residence, postpartum time and parity have an impact on the adaptation to VTLM. Of which, mothers living in urban areas, in the period of 3-6 months after giving birth, giving birth to their first child have a higher level of adaptation than mothers living in rural areas, in the period before 3 months or after 6 months, giving birth to their second child. Factors such as education level, area of ​​residence have an impact on the adaptation manifestations. The remaining factors such as: occupation, social insurance conditions, child gender, ethnicity, religion, breastfeeding method have no statistically significant difference in the level of adaptation to VTLM of PNSS. Regarding the health characteristics of pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum, those who had more morning sickness during pregnancy, had more severe postpartum complications or had too little/too much breast milk had a lower level of adaptation than those who were healthy during pregnancy, had no postpartum complications and had enough breast milk for their babies. When considering the psycho-social characteristics of the mothers, the results showed that pregnant mothers who were proactive, had more experience in caring for young children and giving birth, and had a good relationship with their biological mothers had a higher level of adaptation than mothers who had unwanted pregnancies, had less experience and had a bad relationship with their biological mothers. The remaining factors such as personality characteristics and relationship with the mother-in-law did not have a statistically significant difference in the adaptation to VTLM of PNSS.

The seven influencing factors considered in the thesis include: child characteristics, mother's satisfaction with the child, prenatal preparation, support from people around, conditions for motherhood, husband's sharing and postpartum depression symptoms all have a correlation with VTLM adaptation of PNSS. In which, the strongest correlation is the factor of satisfaction with the child, child characteristics and conditions for motherhood. These are also the 3 strongest predictors of PNSS adaptation. TCSS manifestation, husband's support and support from people around are not able to predict VTLM adaptation.

3.2. Conclusion

- Based on the choice of an outcome-oriented approach to adaptation and the relationship of some social factors to the process of adaptation to the role of motherhood of PNSS, the thesis has developed a definition of adaptation to the role of motherhood as a process in which women overcome the challenges of the postpartum period to achieve a state of balance with positive emotions, gain confidence and behavior that meets the requirements of motherhood in terms of function (care, protection, development) and emotions and feelings (mother-child attachment).

- The thesis has described the current situation of postpartum women's adaptation to the role of motherhood and found the differences between groups of postpartum women at different levels of adaptation. In addition, the thesis has also discovered the level of impact of factors affecting the adaptation to the role of motherhood and affirmed that psychological counseling is a measure to help postpartum women adapt better to the role of motherhood.

SUMMARY OF DOCTORAL THESIS

The author's name: Nguyen Thi Chinh

Thesis title:Women's maternal role adaptation in postpartum period.

Scientific branch of the thesis:

Major: Psychology Code: 62 31 04 01

The name of postgraduate training institution: University of Social sciences and Humanities, Hanoi National University

1. Purpose and subject

1.1. Thesispurpose:to study theoretical and practical aspects of women's maternal role adaptation in postpartum period, and recommend the psychometric measures to enhance their adaptable capacity.

1.2. Thesissubject:expressions and levels of women's maternal role adaptation in postpartum period and key factors affecting that process.

2.Researchmethods

Five methods are used including document research, questionnaires, interviews, case studies and data processing using mathematical statistics.

Research objects are 312 postpartum women in 0-12 months in Tuyen Quang and Hanoi city.

3.Major resultsandconclusions

3.1.Major results

The statics have shown that the average score of postpartum women's adaption oscillates from 2.5 to 3.95 with a standard score of 3.45 (the standard deviation of 0.28). The distribution of the average score of adaptation is a basic allocation so the thesis has divided postpartum women into 3 groups with different adaptation (low, medium, high) to distinguish these 3 groups. The result reveals that no differences are found in terms of social-demographic and health-social but there are distinctions about the preparation before childbirth, the characteristics of the child and the mother's satisfaction about the child, the social support and postpartum depression. An analysis result of a typical psychology has, again, confirmed this discovery.

The average score of these 3 expressions of adaptation reaches at “quite” in the order of the highest to the lowest: the behavior that meets motherhood > the satisfaction in motherhood > the confidence in motherhood. The three expressions are strongly correlated with each other in positive correlation. Meanwhile, the confidence in proficiency is the most powerful impact, responsive behavior and satisfaction are equivalent on the average score of postpartum women in motherhood.

In 15 socio-demographic variables, only 3 factors which are: the living area, postpartum time and the number of giving birth influence the adaptation to motherhood. Mothers living in urban areas, in period of 3 to 6 months after birth, with first born child, have higher level of adaptation then mothers living in the countryside, in period of 3 to 6 months before birth, with the 2^ndchild. child. Factors such as level of education, living area have impact on the expression of adaptation. Others like job, social insurance, child's gender, ethnicity, religion, how to breastfeed have no meaningful difference in the statistics on the level of adaptation to the role of the motherhood in postpartum women.About the health characteristics of pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum, people who suffer from gestation during pregnancy, have worse postpartum complications or have too little/much breast milk, adapt more poorly than healthy mothers in pregnancy period , with no postpartum complications and enough breast milk for the baby. When considering the socio-psychological characteristics of the mothers, the result shows the active pregnant mothers have more experience in taking care of children as well as childbirth, a better relationship with their mother, higher level of adaptation than women with unexpected pregnancy, who have little experience and in a bad relationship with mother. The remaining factors such as personality traits, relationship with mother-in-law has no meaningful difference to the statistics of postpartum woman's adaptation to the role of being a mother.

Seven factors taken into account in this thesis are: characteristics of child, mother's satisfaction of child, the preparation before birth, the support from other people, the conditions for motherhood, the husband's sharing and the expression of postpartum depression are correlated with postpartum woman's adaptation to motherhood. Among them, the strongest correlations are the satisfaction of child, characteristics of child and conditions for motherhood. They are also the three strongest factors predicting postpartum woman's adaptation. The expression of postpartum depression, the husband's sharing and the support from other people cannot forecast woman's adaptation to motherhood.

3.2. Conclusion

- Based on the choice-oriented towards the result of the adaptation and the relationship of some social factors to the process of postpartum woman's adaptation to motherhood, thesis defines the adaptation to motherhood is the process which woman overcomes challenges of postpartum to achieve balance with positive emotions, gain confidence and behaviors meeting the requirements of motherhood in terms of function (care, protection, development) and feelings, emotions the attachment relationship between mother – child).

- Dissertation depicts the reality of postpartum women's adaptation to motherhood and discovers the differences between groups of postpartum women in different levels of adaptation. Moreover, the thesis also finds out the extent impact of factors affecting the adaptation to motherhood and affirms that psychological consultation is an impact measure which helps postpartum woman to adapt to motherhood easier.